On F4WOnline/Wrestling Observer today, it was posted that the UFC and Jon Fitch have come to a settlement.

Here is a direct quote from the report.

Jon Fitch spoke with Lorenzo Fertitta today and agreed to sign the merchandising contract. He is back in UFC and will fight Jan. 31 against Akihiro Gono as scheduled.

Christian Wellisch has also been reinstated. He had agreed to sign the merchandising contract but was fired as part of the blow-up between Dana White and Zinkin Entertainment, his management company. Right now things are being negotiated regarding the other fighters affected but those aren’t settled yet.

Also on the site, Dave Meltzer said that it wasn’t only the video game issue, but more so an issue between DeWayne Zinkin and Dana White.

The videogame issue was part of it, but these have been problems simmering for many years, long before most of the fighters in question were even in the UFC.

Big news late tonight.

Jon Fitch has been cut
According to Dave Meltzer, Jon Fitch and Christian Wellisch were cut today for not signing UFC’s merchandising agreement. Both fighters were advised not to sign the agreement by Duane Zinkin and Bob Cook of Zinkin Entertainment. Zinkin Entertainment also represents Cain Velasquez and Josh Koschek, who also haven’t signed the agreement according to the article. Mike Swick reportedly signed the agreement and is not in danger.

In smaller news, though Fedor’s people probably want you to think it’s big news.

Fedor welcomes “superfight” with Brock Lesnar
It’s a fight that will never happen as long as UFC is the big game in town, but Fedor’s people have called out Brock Lesnar even though they don’t think that at this point, Lesnar could get out of the first round against Fedor. It’s not really news because the UFC would never agree to M-1’s demands, which include co-promotion between the UFC, M-1, and Affliction according to MMA Junkie.

The bargaining power is completely with the UFC and not with Fedor and M-1. They are the number one MMA company even without Fedor. Fedor’s people seem to be trying to bait the UFC by stating that he’s still the number one pound for pound, even though the UFC claims that Anderson Silva is. At the end of the day, unless Fedor is a free agent and can negotiate with the UFC again, this is a fight that won’t happen.

Joe Rogan and Mike Goldberg are on the broadcast.

And a very long intro starts the show. Jason MacDonald vs. Demian Maia opens up the show.

1. Jason MacDonald vs. Demian Maia

Just as Rogan said that MacDonald had to keep the fight standing, he clinched and Maia fell into his guard. He sunk in a triangle and MacDonald sat in it for over a minute and rolled over and got out of it. Maia fell into a rear naked choke, but he pulled out of it. Maia tried to get MacDonald to come back to the ground with him and MacDonald did. Maia transitioned in and out of MacDonald’s guillotine (really, he jumped into it) and then got MacDonald’s back for a rear naked attempt. Maia has a cut over his left eye.

Maia was on top pretty much the entire round throwing elbows from the top. He cut MacDonald over the eye. He got the mount and at one point tried for an arm triangle. MacDonald weathered the storm the entire round and even took the top position right at the end.

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News and notes from around the MMA, pro wrestling, and boxing world …

- Big Daddy V and others were released today by WWE.

- Is Lance Storm the most talented WWE superstar to never have a match at Wrestlemania?

- Good ol’ JR talks about Ric Flair’s break up with WWE.

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This might be the underdog UFC show of the year. With three bouts each with their own heavy intrigue, I’m probably more interested in this PPV than even last month’s big main light heavyweight title match.

Your friends at Fight Game Blog have put together a preview of the top three bouts.

Roger Huerta faces Kenny Florian in a bout that has an affect on who will be in the running for a lightweight title shot. Huerta hadn’t faced a true contender until beating Clay Guida in a great fight last year and now faces Florian who seems to be one of the measuring sticks in the division. If you think you are up to snuff in the division, you face Florian.

Roger Huerta vs. Kenny Florian

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1. Jon Fitch vs. Chris Wilson

Chris Wilson has an Andrei Arlovski-like beard. Fitch has a pretty gnarly beard as well. From a size standpoint, they are near replicas of each other.

Wilson actually won the round by staying active on the feet and rocking Fitch a few times. Fitch did get two takedowns after getting stuffed early on.

Round two was exactly what you’d expect from Fitch. It was take down, ground and pound, take down ground and pound. Wilson wasn’t ever hurt, but it was all Fitch.

The third round was more in Fitch’s favor. Wilson was game on the bottom though as he locked in a triangle near the end of the round.

Winner: Jon Fitch by way of unanimous decision

Only one judge gave Wilson round one which I thought he won fairly easily.

Mark Coleman announced that he’s going to be Brock Lesnar’s next opponent.

2. Evan Tanner vs. Yushin Okami

Okami looks huge compared to Tanner. It was mostly Okami as he set the pace and knocked Tanner down with a big right. He also controlled Tanner in the clinch against the cage.

Okami hit a huge knee to the chin that knocked Tanner out. It was all Okami for the entire round as he was sticking his left hand in Tanner’s face all round long.

Winner: Yushin Okami by way of 2nd round TKO

3. Chris Leben vs. Alessio Sakara

What a great first round. Both guys came out slugging. Each man was able to take each other’s best until Leben was able to land two looping left hooks that knocked Sakara down. He followed up with more shots and Herb Dean stopped it.

Winner: Chris Leben by way of first round TKO.

Chris Leben should always fight on PPV.

4. Cheick Kongo vs. Heath Herring

Herring landed a big right that knocked Kongo back into the cage to start the fight. Kongo got the better of the rest of the round by using wrestling interestingly enough. He also had Herring’s back, but gave it up to try to get back to the strikes.

Kongo again dominated with the takedown, but this time, Herring reversed position, got side control and spent over a minute throwing about 20 knees into the side of Kongo. I’d say it was Herring’s round, but neither guy really tried to finish the other.

Herring knocked Kongo down with a kick to start the round. Kongo ended up on top, but not for long. Herring bulled him into the cage and ended up on top for the entire second half of the round in side control, with the last thirty seconds in the full mount. I’d give the round and the fight to Herring.

Winner: Heath Herring by way of split decision

5. Dan Henderson vs. Anderson Silva

Silva started the round by landing some sharp and loud sounding kicks. But Henderson got the takedown and ended the round on top, utilizing hammer fists. Henderson’s round.

Silva showed why he’s possibly the best guy going today in round two. He simply owned him. He hit a knee that knocked Henderson loopy and simply kept Henderson on his back until he got his back and then sunk in the rear naked choke and Henderson tapped.

Winner: Anderson Silva by way of 2nd round submission

6. Dustin Hazelett vs. Josh Koscheck

Round one was close. Both guys swung for the fences early on, though near the end of the round, Koscheck was answering more. Koscheck got a big takedown near the end of the first, but was stuck in a triangle as the round ended. Either man’s round.

Koscheck ended the fight with a head kick that knocked Hazelett down and he finished him up quickly.

Winner: Josh Koscheck by way of 2nd round TKO.

The show comes from Anaheim, California and the announcers are Joe Rogan and Mike Goldberg.

Tyson Griffin and Thiago Tavares start off the show.

1. Tyson Griffin vs. Thiago Tavares

Griffin is the aggressor for the entire round. Tavares tries for submissions, but he didn’t really latch onto anything. Griffin won the round with heavy rights and knees to the body, while controlling Tavares when it went to the ground.

Tavares has early control of the round. He hits a flying knee that slightly wobbles Griffin and takes him down. He has Griffin’s back, but he stands up with him and eventually gets out of it. Griffin is aggressive on top with right hands, but Tavares gets his back again and again Griffin stands up. This time, Griffin dumps him right on top of his head and Tavares has a huge mouse under his left eye. Great round that I’d give slightly to Tavares.

Round three is tough to score. Tavares was persistent with the submissions, but never had anything tight. Griffin eluded them all and was the better striker of the round. Tavares ended up taking him down a couple times, but Griffin ended up in better position. I’d slightly give it to Griffin, but could see it going to a draw too.

Winner: Tyson Griffin by way of unanimous decision.

2. Lyoto Machida vs. Kazuhiro Nakamura

Machida looks bigger, faster, stronger, and no, that wasn’t meant to copy Daft Punk/Kanye West. He kept his distance with strikes and didn’t allow Nakamura to get inside. And when it went to the ground, he was in the top position and Nakamura didn’t even try to do anything from the bottom. Easily Machida’s round.

Machida wins about 4:15 of this round with strikes and a rear naked choke attempt. He had it in for several seconds. He also had strong ground and pound. Nakamura got one big punch in and had one takedown, but it wasn’t enough. Another easy round for Machida.

Nakamura knows he has to knock him out or submit him to win the round and he’s more busy. Machida seems to be willing to counter punch and fight defensively, but Nakamura presses on and they fight in the clinch for much of the second half of the round. They both score with hard strikes, but it’s too little to late for Nakamura. Another round for Machida.

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